Organizing Coupons

[DisneyNutMic]

I'm new to this. I was too stubborn for years to realize how much I could save. So my question is, what is your system for organizing?? By product, by date expired, or by store??? Or some combination of all of these things?? Help a newbie out here please.

 

[Mickey1Fan]

I try to use coupons but there are others on this board that will jump in with better ideas.

My coupons are in one envelope. Paper clips keep each month together so I don't miss something expiring.

Non expiring coupons are kept together and when I'm shopping or making my list I go through all the coupons to mazimize savings.

 

[vicki_c]

I don't cut coupons any more, but I just file the inserts from the paper by date. I use Grocery Game (which is paid subscription service, but there are numerous free coupon sites on the web), and they figure out the deals and tell you which weeks the coupons were from. So we just sit down with the Grocery Game list and our big pile of coupon inserts and cut the ones we need on that day for shopping.

I used to just go through the coupons and cut out the ones I thought I would use, then I started getting the GG list and it would show something for free with a coupon and I would find that I didn't have the coupon any longer because I didn't think I would ever use it (it's amazing what products you will try or new brands when things are totally free!). So it works for me to keep all the coupons in the original inserts until I need them.

There are a lot of good websites and Facebook pages on couponing - A Full Cup, Bargain Brianna and tons more.

 

[MissBritt]

I am not a huge couponer who saves 80% of my bill every time I shop, but I do save a consistent 30-40%. I keep mine in an accordian coupon folder I got from Michael's for $1. In the front pocket I keep restaurant coupons and ECB and RR. Behind that is an empty slot I move coupons into as I need them (when I make out the week's list). Then I have them organized by paper products, pet, health items, cleaning items, cold foods, and dry goods. I go through them every 2-3 weeks to check for expired ones.

 

[sharon_wv]

I have my own little system that works well for me. A lot of people will use baseball card holders in binders, etc. etc. Much too much work for me. I put all my coupons in sandwich bag-sized ziplocs labeled with a permanent marker by category. For example, some of the categories I have:

-Hair products
-Refrigerated items
- Frozen items
- Makeup
- Lotions/body washes/etc.
- Feminine products
- Razors
- Deodorants
- Canned goods
- Cereals/Pop Tarts, etc.
- Drinks
- Miscellaneous (batteries, dog treats, etc.)

Then all the little ziplocs just get thrown into a Big Ziploc bag. It's easy to grab, is very light, doesn't take up much space, and is easy to just keep in the front of the cart.

They key to couponing is doing whatever works for you so that you actually use the coupons you have effectively and don't miss the bargains for that coupon you actually have in your pile, kwim?

Good luck coming up with a system.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

I bought baseball card pages for a 3-ring binder at Target (baseball cards are near check-out). Then I have specific pages labeled- i.e. frozen, hair/deoderant, shaving, dairy, etc....

 

[3boymthr]

I think it's all in what works best for you.

I organize alphabetically by the name of the product, i.e., Dawn, though a few I do by brand such as buy 3 Kellogg's cereals, etc.

I used to organize by grocery store aisle but now that I CVS I have way more coupons.

I do use a different organizer to separate food coupons from non-food as I have way way way more coupons for H&BA and papergoods, etc than food so this makes grocery shopping much faster.

 

[thebeesknees]

I use an index card file box. It came with little dividers that I wrote different categories on (paper products, frozen foods, cereal, dairy, etc.). I file the coupon under the appropriate category, but not by date (I'm too lazy to do that). I periodically go through and purge out the expired ones. I try to make a list before I go to the store and match up my coupons with what I am going to buy. I put those coupons in the front of the box for easy access and so I don't forget any. Then as I am shopping, if I come across something else I might have a coupon for, it is easy to look and pull it out and add it to my collection at the front. It also saves time at the checkout - I can just grab my stack of coupons from the front of the box and hand it to the cashier.

 

[ScoobySMC]

I bought baseball card pages for a 3-ring binder at Target (baseball cards are near check-out). Then I have specific pages labeled- i.e. frozen, hair/deoderant, shaving, dairy, etc....

i use this method also... And i love it!!!! labeled the same way.. I go through mine every two weeks and take expired ones out!

 

[Local_Girl]

I have my coupons organized by category in a small accordian file that fits in my purse. I keep the military only coupons separate (for the commissary, they won't work in a civilian grocery store) in one section. I clip coupons once a week from the Sunday paper and as I am putting them into the file, I weed out the expired stuff. When I make my shopping list for the week, I match coupons to sales when possible and paper clip them to my list. I also take the file with me in case I see an unadvertised store sale or price drop on something that I remember having a coupon for. We've recently moved to an area that has double couponing and I'm seeing some GREAT savings!!

 

[MissBritt]

As others have said, always take all your coupons to the store. Just last week, I came across French's mustard on sale 2 for $1.20, so I picked up 2, only to get home and realize I didn't use my 50 cents off coupon because it was in the car. I could have got $4 worth for 70 cents.

 

[Disney Darling]

I bought baseball card pages for a 3-ring binder at Target (baseball cards are near check-out). Then I have specific pages labeled- i.e. frozen, hair/deoderant, shaving, dairy, etc....

This is what I do. I learned it from Jenny who does southernsavers dot com. It's an awesome site if you live in the South!!

 

[DisneyNutMic]

Thanks for all of the great ideas. I can see this becoming addictive. And I do live in the South so I will have to check out that website as well.

 

[fakereadhed]

I used to use a binder, but it required too much upkeep. Envelopes work great and are easy to put in your purse.

Categories are either how the stores you shop most are organized or how you will remember them. I keep the granola bar coupons under cereal because they are across the aisle. I keep refrig items like oj and Pillsbury under dairy because they are in that section when I'm shopping.

Another way to organize them is to to keep them by where they are advertised in the store flyers. If they are under dairy in the flyer and also in your coupon holder, it makes it easier to match them to the sales.

Happy Couponing!

 

[Shmily1]

I got the binder and card holders and hate it!! I almost quit doing coupons because it was such a hassle. The coupons keep sliding out! Now, I just cut out what I need when I need it and use them like that.

 

[canwegosoon]

I use the index card box and have the tabs set up according to the layout of the store I shop most. There is no Coupon Game here- but if there was I would keep the flyers in tact.

 

[midwestdee]

I have a cloth clutch wallet size organizer I bought years ago that is specifically a coupon organizer similar to the accordion file ones you can get at Target. I sort by category, toothpaste, shampoo, toileties, OTC, soaps/lotions, pet food, paper, cleaners, laundry, dairy, snacks, frozen, meat, "sauces" which includes mixes, condiments, salad dressing & dips,cereal and finally "misc.". On Sundays I try to flip through the coupon inserts, clip the ones I know I will use, put them in the back part of my organization which I put in the correct category whenever I have a few minutes. If you can find a coupon buddy you can swap coupon inserts with, you can make out like a bandit . In addition I try to check some coupon sites like www.delish.com or startsampling.com I don't drive myself crazy with it - but just shopping for DH, myself & the pets (kids are grown) I save $6 to $12 every time I go to the store. Every now and then I have up to $25 in coupons for the week (usually when I have a freebie or two).